Caleb Smith Featured in CBS News Extreme Heat Story

CBS News New York's Jessi Mitchell interviewed Caleb Smith for a story on extreme heat and its inequitable impact on people of color. In New York City, an average of 350 people die from heat-related causes each year, and Black people are twice as likely to die from heat-related causes as white people. Watch Here

Peggy Shepard on DNC Panel in Chicago

Peggy Shepard has been invited by the Democratic National Committee’s Council on the Environment & Climate Crisis to participate in a panel discussion at 2:45 PM ET on Monday, August 19 as part of the build-up to the convention in Chicago. It will be livestreamed, so follow our social media (Facebook, Twitter/X, Instagram, & LinkedIn) for a link in the coming days (or sign-up for updates here).

Teaching Harlem Kids About Environmental Justice with BioBus

We teamed up with BioBus to educate and empower the next generation of environmental leaders! Together, we hosted a hands-on workshop series for 4th-6th graders at the Manhattanville Community Center this summer, where the kids learned about environmental justice and envisioned what their communities could look like in the future. In addition to taking temperature and air pollution readings in the neighborhood, they used what they learned to construct their vision of an ideal playground.

BioBus helps K-12 and college students - especially those excluded from the scientific community - discover their scientific potential and become the next generation of scientists and problem-solvers. We're proud to partner with them in educating future environmental justice leaders and empowering youth to shape the future of their communities.

CRUP Workshops: Learn How to Prepare for Storms & Other Climate Emergencies

Hurricane season is upon us, not to mention some crazy summer storms. Are you ready? If not, come to our Emergency Preparedness: Climate Ready Uptown Plan (CRUP) workshops at 1:00 PM (English) and 2:00 PM (Español) on Tuesday, August 27 at the West Side Federation’s Red Oak Center’s community room, located at 135 West 106th Street (between Columbus & Amsterdam Avenues). We have partnered with the Columbus Amsterdam BID and the West Side Federation for these special events, and we encourage you to invite your family, friends, and neighbors to join us!

Training: Understanding Environmental Justice Laws & Policies

One of our TCTAC partners, NYU Institute for Policy Integrity, is conducting a free, six-part training series to provide environmental justice communities – and those who serve them – with the tools to effectively engage with government at all levels. The first in this series, Understanding Environmental Justice Laws and Policies, will be held on Thursday, August 22 from 5:00-6:00 PM. This training will present a high-level overview of key laws and policies that require the consideration of environmental justice issues in decisionmaking at the federal and state level for New York and New Jersey. Register here, and learn more about the TCTAC (including other trainings and funding opportunities) here.

Save the Date: Membership Meeting to Focus on Children's Environmental Health

It's back-to-school season, so we will be focusing on issues impacting children's environmental health at our September Membership Meeting on Saturday, September 14 from 10:00 AM - 1:00 PM. We'll let you know once we've locked down a location, as this will be an in-person meeting. Come join our discussion of asthma, green and healthy schools, and electric school buses. RSVP

Pamela Stewart-Martinez (center) at the Annual Dominican Day Parade Breakfast with U.S. Representative Adriano Espaillat (left) and New York State Democratic Party Assembly District Leader Cory Ortega (right).

Pamela Stewart-Martinez (left) with Majority Leader of the New York City Council Amanda Farias (right) at the Annual Dominican Day Parade Breakfast.

Listen: US Energy Policy Wrong Direction Mini-Series - Greenwashing

We hope you have been enjoying our Uptown Chat's Wrong Direction mini-series, exploring how elements of the U.S. energy policy are heading in the Wrong Direction. Have a listen to our latest episode as Jaron and Lonnie take a step back to review what we have learned so far and call-out the greenwashing that is clearly driving these false solutions. Listen Today

Speaking of Podcasts: WE ACT Gets a Shoutout from "Now, Let's Talk!"

The folks over at the "Now, Let's Talk!” podcast recently interviewed Casey Ivanovich, a student at Columbia University's Climate School, about ways extreme heat affects urban environments and some of the solutions to address this. Naturally, she had some good things to say about us and the work we are doing! Listen Here